In front of a shelf holding books with gilded titles, a fake plant and a Confederate figurine, Anne Arundel County Councilman Michael Peroutka explained why he didn't cast a vote.

Deuteronomy, chapter six, verses four to nine.

"Parents are responsible and accountable for the upbringing and education of their children," Peroutka said in a video he produced. "The current configuration of the Anne Arundel County school board is not in accordance with the law of God."

The bill, emergency legislation to accept money for the school system, came before the council in February. Peroutka thought taking the money would be not only immoral, but unconstitutional.

"The Tenth Amendment in the U.S. Bill of Rights reserves the power and authority for education to the states and to the people," he said in the same video, explaining that some of the money came from federal grants. "The acceptance of these funds rests on an illegality."

As a candidate, Peroutka saw no boundary between his Christian faith and political stances, making his beliefs known on the campaign trail. His Institute on the Constitution, a private organization that advocates for Constitutionalist and Christian-based governance, has existed for many years.

Now, a few months into office, blurred lines between Peroutka's public life and private affiliation have captured the attention of the county Ethics Commission.

Peroutka, R-Millersville, used the county seal and his official title in a handful of videos — including the schools funding bill — posted on the institute's website. He also ended videos with a plug for his organization.

Though Councilman Peroutka, R-Millersville, has been away from his district for a few days, he was recently spotted on social media in a photograph...

An ethics opinion in May advised the councilman take the videos down because they could violate county law, stating the prestige of office is not "for the entity's private gain."

Two days after the commission put its advice in a letter, Peroutka launched a new website, PeroutkaTownHall.com, where the legislative videos remain.

"For us within the Peroutka universe, this is an old story, and he resolved it independently," said Peter Waldron, Peroutka's spokesman.

He said the councilman was traveling with family and unreachable for comment.

Peroutka originally sought advice on whether he could send letters encouraging students to take courses at the Pasadena-based institute. And the commission said it saw no problem with that, so long as he doesn't use county letterhead.

While the videos were not part of the councilman's original question, Waldron said Peroutka already was making changes.

"He made a deliberate decision to divorce himself from (the institute's website) and establish a separate website," he said.

Separating his interests

But whether Peroutka has taken that advice to heart is unclear. At a speaking engagement with the North County Republican Club this month, he encouraged residents to check out his institute's website, which he said offers training on national, state and local law.

The institute, after existing for many years as an extension of his private law firm, officially incorporated in August. The Internal Revenue Service gave it nonprofit status this year.

The organization sells DVDs and classes and solicits money to support its mission.

Some fellow councilmen haven't seen any conflicts between Peroutka's organization and his elected office. They believe he's forthcoming about his involvement in the group.

"It's not a for-profit organization, he doesn't benefit from it," said Councilman Derek Fink, R-Pasadena, and contrasted the institute to the restaurant he owns in a partnership with County Executive Steve Schuh.

"It's not like me doing it to promote the Greene Turtle, (if I said) 'Come on in and buy some cheeseburgers and wings.' "

Jennifer Bevan-Dangel, executive director of Common Cause Maryland, disagrees. Common Cause is a nonpartisan advocacy group focused on government transparency.

Whether it's a business or charity isn't the issue, she said. An elected official can't use his title to promote it, adding that even nonprofits have agendas and exist to further causes.

"We are concerned a council member wouldn't have known that," Bevan-Dangel said. "This does raise questions, 'Does our ethics training need to be improved?'"

The 10 questions

In each of Peroutka's videos, he explains the 10-question process he uses in deciding how to vote, including asking whether a bill complies with the Constitution and the Bible.

A bill on zoning and workforce housing, for instance, that passed his test was supported by Exodus, chapter 18, he said, "by restoring control back to local communities." He voted for it.

Former county councilman Jamie Benoit, a Democrat, doesn't see where religion fits in with governance. Benoit has opposed Peroutka and his prior affiliations with secessionist groups and helped launch a Political Action Committee specifically against his candidacy.

"The notion that Biblical law is the county law is a view I haven't heard expressed before, other than by him and his associates," Benoit said.

Councilmen Pete Smith and Chris Trumbauer, both Democrats, said when it comes to their own decision-making, they consider ethical and legal implications but leave their religious beliefs out of it.

Others, such as councilmen John Grasso and Fink, both Republicans, believe Peroutka should be commended for his convictions. His framework for his decisions is transparent, they said; residents know where he stands and what he stands for.

Dan Nataf, a political science professor at Anne Arundel Community College and director of the Center of Local Issues, said Peroutka's videos may help to "humanize" him.

During the campaign, some people saw the candidate as someone who wanted a pulpit for his ideology, Nataf said. The videos show his attempt to apply that ideology in the real world of policy-setting.

"Imagine four years' worth of videos," Nataf said. "You'll get to know Peroutka pretty well, if you want to."